NEWS ROUNDUP: Issues Found With Texas Jail Where Sandra Bland Died…AND MORE

A new report indicates the jail’s staff needs more training in regards to identifying mental health issues.

Anew report revealed several issues with the Hempstead, Texas jail where Sandra Bland lost her life last summer. On Tuesday, a panel assembled after she died issued a report indicating that the jail’s staff needs more training in regards to identifying mental health issues. It also specified that the facility should provide anger management counseling for inmates and employees should wear body cameras. During a news conference, those on the panel stressed the importance of improving the treatment of the jail’s inmates and called on police officials to start making changes. “The jail is not adequate, in our judgment,” said former U.S. Rep. Craig Washington, who served as one of the panelists. He said that inmates at the facility are “entitled to be treated with dignity and respect as a human being.” Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith said he is on board with implementing the proposed changes featured in the report. “I’m open, willing to listen, and while we may not all agree on everything … we’re going to move forward. We’re going to make a difference,” said Smith. Read more.

Poll: Concern Surrounding Race Relations Has Risen in the Past 2 Years

A new Gallup Poll shows that race relations are a growing concern within our country. The poll showed that Americans are more worried about race than they have been in the past two years. In 2014, 17 percent of people were concerned with race relations; that percentage jumped to 35 in 2016. Despite the leap, race relations are at the bottom of the totem pole – behind jobs and the economy – when it comes to issues concerning Americans. With all the incidents related to police brutality in Black communities and other tragic situations like the Charleston massacre, it’s no secret that racism is still alive and well. Data gathered by the Southern Poverty Law Center showed there are 892 active hate groups in our country. Read more.

Facebook CEO Puts Donald Trump on Blast

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg put presidential candidate Donald Trump on blast during a recent speech about the future of his company. On Tuesday, while delivering the keynote address at the F8 developer conference, he subliminally threw shade at the GOP frontrunner. “As I look around and I travel around the world, I’m starting to see people and nations turning inward, against this idea of a connected world and a global community. I hear fearful voices calling for building walls and distancing people they label as other,” said Zuckerberg. “For blocking free expression, for slowing immigration, reducing trade, and in some cases around the world even cutting access to the Internet.” The remarks seemed to reference Trump’s proposed plan to have Mexico build a wall in efforts to prevent illegal immigrants from coming into the U.S. Zuckerberg said the idea would go against Facebook’s mission to “connect the world.” Read more.

Film Based on Flint Water Crisis Coming to Lifetime

A movie based on the Flint water crisis is coming to Lifetime. Inspired by TIME magazine’s February cover story, producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have teamed up to develop a film that will focus on the crisis through a political lens and will also show how Flint residents were affected by the contaminated water. Zadan and Meron have worked on several notable projects in the past, including The Wiz Live! TV musical and the 2012 all-Black-cast version of Steel Magnolias. Barbara Stepansky will pen the script. Read more.